What are words?
by Emjen Enla
Summary: [Complete] Five conversations which took place before Maxim Vasilyev came to Ketterdam.
1. Conversation One

**Title from "What are Words" by Chris Medina, though I have to confess to only having heard covers of this song and never the original.**

**As far as I can remember this is the first fic in this series to directly reference the happenings of the Angsty Kaz Fic which currently stands as the first part of this series. I've been conflicted about whether or not I want people to read that fic as they enter this series for a while (its older than everything else and not as good), but the truth is that it lays a lot of groundwork which I've been building on ever since, especially in regards to Espen and his characterization so I can't really cut it. Still the reference here is rather small so you should be fine if you haven't read that fic.**

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_Conversation One: Inej Ghafa and Espen_

All the gangs in Ketterdam had safe houses and boltholes of one form of another, in fact many of the merchers had them too. It made sense; Ketterdam was the kind of place where it was always a good idea to be able to disappear underground at a moment's notice. The Dregs actually had several tiers of boltholes and safe houses. There were the general ones which everyone in the gang knew about, the slightly more hidden ones which only higher ranking members knew about, and then the top-secret ones which you only found out about if Kaz Brekker judged you trustworthy.

Back when Inej had worked alongside Kaz as the Wraith, the list of people Kaz trusted to know the location of these top-secret safe houses had been exactly one person: her, and she'd known he had even more boltholes she didn't know the location of. Six years later, Kaz was a bit more trusting and the list of people was a little longer: her, Jesper, Wylan, the spiders, Anika and Pim.

That was what was causing Inej trouble in her quest to discover the origins of the fire which had almost destroyed Kaz's letters from Vasilyev. If the papers had been stored in one of the less secure safe houses, Inej wouldn't be having this problem. It would be obvious that someone had figured out about the letters and let it slip. However, the only people who'd known about this particular safehouse had been people Kaz trusted and had trusted for years. If one of them was working for another gang Kaz would have noticed long before now. So Inej didn't know how to proceed. She'd questioned each person, but none could remember mentioning anything about the safe house. None had known there was anything in it, in fact, with the exception of Jesper and Wylan-who had seen Kaz run into the burning building to retrieve the letters-the rest had been under the impression that losing that safe house wasn't any great loss compared to some of the others.

Inej was close friends with Jesper, Wylan and Anika, and she trusted them with her life. They were above suspicion. She was more inclined to be suspicious of the spiders and Pim, but she knew that was mostly because she wasn't as close to them. Kaz wouldn't have told them about the safe houses if he didn't trust them as much as he did Jesper, Wylan and Anika. They were above suspicion too.

But still, something had been let slip somewhere. Tonight, Inej had tracked down the gangless thug who'd set the fire. He'd taken one look at her bristling with knives, pissed himself and told her everything. He'd been paid to rent the room directly under the safe house and start the fire. He didn't know who had paid him; they'd worn a Komedie Brute costume and spoken on a pitch that made it difficult to tell if they were a man or a woman. None of that was helpful. Practically every petty thief in Ketterdam had used Komedie Brute costumes at one point or another, and Inej herself had learned to speak in an androngynous tone of voice for one of Kaz's schemes-a truly brilliant one which still had the Guild of Ketterdam Goldsmiths convinced that their chapter room was haunted by a restless spirit.

Inej fiddled with one of her knives as she stared out across the darkened Ketterdam. The only point of light was the Church of Barter, because workers were toiling through the night to fix the damage the Dregs had done only days before. She wasn't sure how to proceed. Someone must have gotten drunk and let something slip, or said something when they thought no one could hear. The problem would be figuring out who it had been without destroying relationships as callously as Kaz had when he'd realized Jesper was the one who'd let the Ice Court Job slip to Pekka Rollins years ago. She and Kaz had removed Jesper and Wylan from suspicion almost immediately, but there were still the others to question and placate. This was going to be unspeakably delicate.

Boots clanged on the roof behind her as someone leapt over from the nearest building. "Hello, Espen," Inej said without turning around. "What are you doing in this part of town?"

"How did you know it was me?" Espen asked sounding rueful.

"Roeder would never have dared attempt that jump," she said twisting around to look at him. "And Minna's lighter than you are; she would have made less noise."

"Are you questioning my weight?" Espen gasped in mock horror, putting his hand to his belly. "Oh, you crush me, my lady, especially in the face of beauty such as yours." He winked suggestively.

Inej heaved a sigh. Espen was a very average looking seventeen year old boy. He was average height and had wild, generally unwashed blonde hair and acne. He was lean, but heavier than Kaz-though given that Kaz had gotten that skinny by practicing deeply unhealthy eating habits for more than half his life, that wasn't exactly surprising. Espen was not particularly attractive and in Inej's opinion he had the personality of a stick of dynamite-likely to blow your hand off if you didn't get away quick enough. Despite this, being one of Kaz Brekker's spiders must be the sort of thing that got girls these days. It had obviously gone to Espen's head. "Do not flirt with me," Inej said. "It's embarrassing for both of us."

"Oh, of course," Espen said, sobering. "You're Brekker's girl."

Inej let her lips pull back off her teeth. She had always hated being reduced to that, and her feelings on the matter hadn't changed in the years that she and Kaz actually had been something to each other, however complicated and special that thing was. "You say that again and I will cut your tongue out," she snarled.

"Okay," Espen pulled back in surprise. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…" he sighed. "I'm really sorry. I keep saying the wrong thing these days and I'm not sure why."

"Have you ever considered thinking before you speak?" Inej asked, not even trying to hide her sarcasm. "It works wonders."

"I'm just so frustrated all the time," Espen said, running a hand through his hair. Inej suppressed a sigh. The last thing she was in the mood for right now was listening to a cocky kid whine about his problems. She was pretty sure she'd liked Espen better when he was an angry preteen who would punch anyone who said something he didn't like.

"I don't want to cause so many problems," Espen went on. "But it just happens. I can't help it. I think it might be that teenage angst, everyone's always going on about. What do you think?"

"I really wouldn't know."

"I'm bothering you, aren't I?" Espen asked. "You're trying to figure out how that safe house got compromised, aren't you?"

"Are you supposed to be working?" Inej asked instead of answering.

"Yeah, probably," Espen made a face. "But Roeder and Minna can handle it for a minute." he sobered. "You know, Inej, I know that I'm your biggest suspect in this. You don't have to pretend I'm not."

He wasn't wrong. Espen and Kaz had been having problems for months. Even if it was just "teenage angst" as Espen suggested, he might have mentioned something to the wrong people out of spite. Inej said nothing.

"I know I've been cruddy recently," Espen said. "I can't deny that Kaz frustrates me sometimes. A lot of the time, actually. We got off on the wrong foot, all those years ago, back when I joined the Dregs. He was so distant and it seemed like the rest of us were doing all the work while he just sat around. I understand now that he was sick, that he couldn't help it, but I was a kid at the time and I didn't get it. I guess part of me never got over that and now every time something mildly inconveniencing happens I want to blame him for it. I know it's not fair, but I don't know how to stop."

"Where are you going with this, Espen?" Inej asked.

"I guess I'm just trying to say that no matter what differences the Boss and I might have, I'd never do anything to hurt him," Espen said. "I'm not a fool. The Dregs is the only family I've got, and I won't do anything to jeopardize that."

He seemed serious enough. Inej had never known the youngest spider to lie; if anything he'd always been too open about everything. "I'll keep that in mind," She said after a moment. "Now you should get back to your job. Minna and Roeder are probably waiting for you."

"Do you want to come with us?" Espen asked. "With your help it'll probably only take us an hour or so."

"No, I think the three of you can more than handle it," Inej said. She could never decide if she was annoyed Kaz had never gotten her help when she'd been his spider or if she was proud he'd needed three people to fill her shoes. "I have other things to be doing."

"Alright," Espen said. "Have a nice night." Then he turned, got a running start, leapt to the nearest building and vanished into the night. Inej watched him go then turned back towards the Church of Barter and her thoughts.


	2. Conversation Two

Jesper was extremely thankful Nina staying with him and Wylan. Jesper had missed her fiercely over the years she'd been gone. She'd started writing letters in more recent years, but in the months directly after she'd left Ketterdam it had been like she'd left the city and vanished from the world. While Jesper had loved helping Wylan rescue his mother and settle into his position as head of House Van Eck, that first year had been lonely. Nina and Inej were gone, Kaz was pretending not to know him and the rest of the Dregs hadn't known what to do with Jesper's new status as the boyfriend of a member of the Merchant Council.

Still things had eventually gotten better. Jesper's closest friends in the Dregs had gotten over their fear that he'd suddenly become honest and started to visit the house and invite him out again. Inej had dragged Kaz back into Jesper and Wylan's acquaintance by his ear and basically threatened him into visiting them until he got used to it and started doing it on his own. When she'd returned to the seas, Inej had started writing letters to them, describing the less sensitive parts of her mission. Things were good.

The only person who hadn't found their way back was Nina. It took years for her to finally write, and once she did she steadfastly refused to visit. Having her back in Ketterdam was something Jesper had long since given up hope for, but now they had it. She'd been staying at the Van Eck house with them and now that she was here she was more than willing to tell them everything about what had happened to her.

Jesper, Wylan and Nina were hanging out in Wylan's office. Officially, Wylan and Jesper were doing the books for the Van Eck businesses, but unofficially they were just talking. Nina was just telling a silly story about introducing her new girlfriend to some Ravkan food Jesper had never heard of when someone knocked on the office door.

"Yes?" Wylan called.

The housekeeper poked her head inside. "Sander Van Aakster is at the door," she said. "Should I tell him you're unavailable?"

Excluding Wylan, Sander Van Aakster was the youngest member of the Merchant Council. His father had died only four months before and it was quickly becoming blatantly obvious that Sander was not at all ready to take over the family business. He called on Jesper and Wylan often for advice.

"Let him in," Nina, who had never met Sander, told Wylan. "I'm sure he's here for something important."

"You never know with Sander," Jesper grumbled, but Wylan was already telling Mrs. Arent to let the merch in.

Sander entered the office in his nervous, twitchy way. He was at least five years older than Jesper was, but his continual air of uncertainty made him seem much younger. He was also probably the only member of the Merchant Council who had nothing to hide, an honor that even Wylan couldn't claim as that he was secretly a member of the Dregs. Sometimes Sander's naivete got tiring, but whenever it did Jesper reminded himself that it was always good to have the honest people on your side.

Sander did a visible double take when he saw Nina. "Who's-"

"This is our good friend Nina," Wylan said. "She's visiting Ketterdam. We trust her impeccably; you can talk in front of her just like you were talking to us."

A less naive mercher or Barrel rat probably wouldn't have fallen for that. They would have demanded that Nina leave before they got to business, but Sander hadn't quite realized just how cut-throat Ketterdam was, so he raised no objection to Nina's presence and settled in a chair in front of the desk.

"What business?" Wylan asked.

"Did you hear anything about the new _stadwatch_ captain?" Sander said, leaning forward like he was going to hand out a valuable secret.

"Pals is getting fired?" Wylan asked. He sounded hopeful. Pals was the most incompetent of the _stadwatch_'s three captains. Wylan had vehemently hated Captain Pals since an incident the winter before when Pals had managed to arrest Kaz and hold him for a few hours until Wylan had arrived to save the day all while being a spectacularly arrogant ass.

"That's what I came here to ask you," Sander said. "I hadn't heard anything about any of the _stadwatch_ captains being replaced."

"Then why do you think there's going to be a new _stadwatch_ captain?" Jesper asked.

"Councilman Van Dijk was talking about someone coming to help the _stadwatch_ with the new Dregs problem," Sander said.

Jesper's stomach sunk. He fought to keep his dismay off his face, and he could tell Wylan and Nina were doing the same. They'd gotten away with their Church of Barter stunt in part because most of the upstanding citizens of Ketterdam were terrified of them now. Someone coming to the city to take control of things could be a disaster.

"Did Councilman Van Dijk tell you who this person was and what they were going to be doing?" Wylan asked in his level "mercher voice."

"No," Sander admitted.

"You didn't ask?"

"No," Sander blushed furious red. "I may have been eavesdropping."

Interesting. It appeared Sander Van Aakster had a gutsy side; Jesper wouldn't have expected that from him. "Who was he actually talking to?" Jesper asked.

"Councilman Schenck," Sander said. "He was talking about how he was worried that there was no way to keep us safe from the Dregs now, and Councilman Van Dijk said that he knew how to take care of it and suggested bringing in an associate of his."

"Who's the associate?" Nina asked.

"He didn't say," Sander said. "Councilman Schenck said he'd discuss it with some other members of the Council."

"Interesting," Wylan said thoughtfully. He and Jesper both knew that they would hear nothing about this. According to the Kerch constitution, there was no hierarchy to the Merchant Council. In practice, however, there was a very defined hierarchy. People like Van Dijk and Schenck were at the top and Wylan and Jesper were near the bottom due to their-rightly-suspected gang ties. Van Dijk, Schenck and their closest associates were perfectly capable of making decisions which changed the face of Ketterdam without ever bringing the issue before the whole of the Merchant Council.

"So what should we do?" Sander asked. "Do you think I should admit to Councilman Van Dijk that I overheard him and ask him to explain what's going on?"

"No!" Wylan said. "Don't do that. Whatever you do, don't tell him you overheard him."

"Then what should I do?" Sander asked. He was so trusting. Not for the first time, Jesper mused that it was lucky he and Wylan weren't Kaz. Kaz would probably con Sander out of his every worldly possession without a flutter of conscience. Sander could have fallen in with far to many people who would use him in Ketterdam; he was lucky he'd fallen in with Jesper and Wylan who were just using him for information and gossip that the merchers clamped up about when the two suspected Dregs were in the area.

"Don't do anything," Wylan said. "Jes and I will do some asking around, but there might not be much we can do. Besides, regardless of whether Van Dijk let's the full Council vote on this, he can't bring a consultant for the _stadwatch_ in without at least informing us. We'll know what's going on eventually. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Oh, okay," Sander said. "That makes me feel so much better." He looked relieved too. Jesper wondered what it was like to grow up in Ketterdam and still be that naive.

"I should probably get going then," Sander went on. "I have a meeting and I'm sure you have things to do as well." He got to his feet and straightened his coat.

"Thank you so much for stopping by, Sander," Wylan said, rising and extending his hand for Sander to shake. "Feel free to stop by anytime."

"I will," Sander said. He shook hands with Jesper and Nina as well, and then was gone.

"So the _stadwatch_ getting a consultant really isn't a problem?" Nina asked once they were sure Sander was long gone.

"Of course it's a problem," Wylan said. "But Sander doesn't need to know that."

"We'll have to pass this information on to Kaz," Jesper agreed. "He and the spiders will be able to figure out some more about this."

"I can go talk to him," Nina said. "I was going to take a walk this afternoon anyway; I have a letter for Hanne that I want to post."

"That will probably be good," Wylan said. "Kaz will need time to confirm the rumor and then to prepare if it's true."

"Yeah," Jesper said. "The last time the Merchant Council brought someone in to fix things up was long before I came to Ketterdam, but I'm sure Kaz remembers it."

"I don't remember it very well either," Wylan said. "But it's not like I had anything to do with the gangs at the time. I remember that a lot of people got arrested, though. We need to make sure that doesn't happen again."

"Then I'd best be on my way to talk to Kaz," Nina said. "I'll see you two at dinner tonight." and she hurried out of the office, leaving Jesper and Wylan alone.


	3. Conversation Three

_**Conversation Three: Ambroos Baas and Kees Van Dijk**_

**Warnings: Baas being Baas and one use of the word "heathen."**

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To say that the vandalism of the great Church of Barter bothered Ambroos Baas was an understatement. He'd grown up in the countryside hearing stories of the beauty of the Church of Barter in Ketterdam and dreaming of seeing it himself. The first thing he had done upon getting settled into his room at the Geldrenner Hotel was set out to visit the church. The experience had been even more wonderful than he'd imagined it would. He'd almost cried when he'd first entered the church and had spent hours there before he could finally drag himself away to return to the hotel. If he hadn't believed that Kaz Brekker was a godless heathen before the bastard had vandalized it; he definitely did now.

Baas had spent the entirety of the last few days in his suite on the top floor of the Geldrenner Hotel. This was not necessarily by his own choice; Councilman Van Dijk had put guards outside his door and told him that for his own safety. For the first few days Baas had been so terrified that he had been more than happy to stay put. He couldn't stop thinking of the way Brekker had snuck inside the suite. He spent the entirety of the first day or two convinced that the Barrel fiend was going to slink into the suite and kill him, but as the days passed and nothing happened Baas's fear began to fade.

"You wanted to see me?" Van Dijk said, entering the suite. Baas rose and turned just in time to see one of the guards as the door swung closed behind the Councilman.

"Yes," Baas said. "Thank you for coming. Please, take a seat. Would you like some coffee?"

"Yes, that would be fine," Van Dijk settled down into a chair and watched while Baas rang for coffee and sat down in the opposite chair.

"What did you want to see me about?" Van Dijk said once the coffee had arrived, staring at Baas over the rim of his cup. "Have you encountered a problem?"

"No," Baas said, suddenly intimidated by the other man. "I was just wondering when I would be allowed to leave this suite?"

Van Dijk's face tightened. "Is there something that you feel you should be doing instead?"

"Well, my work," Baas said, slightly surprised that he even had to point it out. "You brought me here to preach to the masses and convert them back to Ghezen, not hide in a hotel room while Ghezen's church is vandalized. I need to be out there doing something. I need to do my part to right this wrong."

Van Dijk's expression was cold as ice. After so many years of holding his own against people who wanted him run out of town before he could disrupt their comfortable lifestyles, Baas considered himself pretty difficult to intimidate, but he still found himself quailing under Van Dijk's gaze. Kaz Brekker had been terrifying in a monster-in-the-dark sort of way, but Van Dijk's displeasure could throw Baas to the wolves to be murdered before he even had a chance to begin.

"Do you not trust my judgement about whether or not the situation is safe for you?" Van Dijk asked coolly.

"Of course," Baas said hurriedly. "I just thought that given the current circumstances I might be able to help. I heard that the common people are too terrified to rise to their duty; perhaps I could do something to stir them up."

"And what kind of stirring do you think it would be when you walk into the Church of Barter to preach and are immediately shot dead by one of Brekker's goons?" Van Dijk asked sharply.

"That wouldn't happen," Baas said. "Even he wouldn't dare commit a murder on holy ground." Even as he said it, he realized how naive those words sounded.

"Of course he would dare," Van Dijk snapped. "I'm trying to keep you from becoming a martyr to your cause; can't you make that easier for me?"

Baas knew he shouldn't argue. He should calmly accept that Van Dijk was doing the right thing, but try as he might he couldn't stop thinking about the implications Brekker had made about Van Dijk the night he'd broken in. Logically, he knew that Brekker had been lying through his teeth when he said Van Dijk was a bad man, but what if he wasn't? What if Baas really was being taken in and manipulated by someone who wanted to keep him from fulfilling his sacred mission? Baas had never heard of Van Dijk before the merchant had contacted him, but Baas himself had been gaining some notoriety. How did he know that he hadn't been lured here to end his important mission?

Baas did not want to think such things about Van Dijk and the fact that Brekker had managed to corrupt him enough that he was thinking them made him angry. "What are you doing to rectify the situation?" he asked, too ashamed of himself to look Van Dijk in the eye. "What is happening while I stay safe in these rooms?"

Van Dijk sighed and ran a hand over his face like he was dealing with a naughty child. "Fine, if you must know; I'm going to bring in a specialist to solve our Dregs problem.."

"I thought I was the specialist," Baas protested.

"A police specialist," Van Dijk corrected. "Someone with experience with gangs who can get them under control. I should have brought the two of you in at the same time; then we might have avoided having the Church of Barter mess. Still, I know he can do it. Once he gets things in hand, you will be able to go out and preach."

"When will he get here?" Baas asked.

"The Merchant Council still needs to vote," Van Dijk said, "but they will not vote against this. He'll probably arrive in the city in the next few days."

Baas relaxed. He'd been worrying for no reason. He just needed to be patient and he would get his chance to preach and do what he'd been brought here to do. He needed to be thankful for the fact that he was safe and wait for the chance to do his part. Ketterdam would be reformed, he just had to be willing to do his part.

"That's good to hear," he said. "I'm sorry for doubting you; I know that you're doing the best you can to change Ketterdam for the better."

Van Dijk smiled. There was something oddly sharp about it. "That is the goal."


	4. Conversation Four

_Conversation Four: Kaz Brekker and Arusi Jelani_

Darkness settled over Ketterdam like a cloak. This was especially true of the warehouse district where basically no one lived. Theoretically no one but the stadwatch patrols should be there at night, but of course the gangs of Ketterdam did not obey those rules. The warehouses and office building were often the sites of illicit dealings in the night and tonight was no different.

Kaz, Anika and Roeder made their way through the dark streets towards a warehouse which was owned by a minor merchant whose bad habit of leaving his keys lying around meant that every major gang in Ketterdam had copies of his keys. It was a common location for parleys which were unlikely to become violent and need a sniper from above to save the day.

If Kaz had been asked at seventeen, he would have sworn that parleys were on their way out. He was surprised by how well they were hanging on. Of course, there was no longer any expectation that the parties would be unarmed or that they would solve their problems civilly and go out for a drink afterwards, but the general process of meeting up with a member of the other gang backed up by two seconds stayed on.

Tonight was technically Anika's night off, but she and Pim had switched so she could come along. Pim was a good soldier, but he was taller than Kaz and at least a hundred pounds heavier. He was the sort of person you only brought to a parley when you'd already decided there was going to be a fight. Kaz wasn't looking for a fight tonight, especially not with Arusi Jelani.

Jelani's gang, Damnation, wasn't the only gang in Ketterdam composed only of women, but it was the largest. Of all the other generals in Ketterdam, Jelani was also the most sensible. The fact that she was in league with Inej and took in a lot of the girls Inej rescued who had nothing to return to also helped Kaz's opinion of her immensely. Of course, she didn't realize Kaz knew that, because like most of the Barrel, she didn't realize Kaz and Inej were still in close contact.

Kaz, Anika and Roeder let themselves into the warehouse. Kaz always met Jelani here; it was their mutual way of saying they weren't planning to attack each other.

Jelani, Brielle Walsh and another woman Kaz didn't know were already waiting for them. Jelani was leaning against a crate with studied casualness, but Kaz knew she was tense. The Dregs and Damnation had never had more than a few passing spats, but Kaz knew he was more secure in the peace between them than Jelani was. He would never act against Damnation out of respect for Inej and her work, but Jelani didn't know that. She probably thought Kaz was leaving her alone because he thought Damnation was beneath his notice and she appeared to plan to keep it that way. That was one of the things Kaz respected about her; Damnation was only about a third of the size of the Dregs and a lot of generals were too stupid to realize those were terrible odds.

"Jelani," Kaz said crossing the room and holding out his hand. "What business?"

Jelani took his hand and shook it firmly. He was wearing his gloves-he always did when he was working-but he was still a little proud that he didn't have to brace himself for the physical contact. He was getting better. It was slow going-very slow going-but it was happening.

"Brekker," Jelani said. "Thank you for coming."

Jelani was a tall, wiry Zemeni woman who dressed even more austerely than Kaz did. There was gray in her dark hair and lines around her eyes and mouth. The first time Kaz had met her he'd estimated the age difference between them was similar to the one between him and his own mother. It was a comparison he'd been trying to forget about ever since. He did not like thinking about his parents anymore than he liked thinking about Jordie.

Arusi Jelani had spent a decent portion of her life indentured to the pleasure houses of the Stave before she'd freed herself and started Damnation. The stories about how she'd done that were as varied and exaggerated as Kaz's own mythos. Fortunately, Kaz made it his business to know everything about everyone of import in Ketterdam so he knew that Jelani and Brielle Walsh-Jelani's second in command and lover-had killed the matron of their pleasure house and pinned it on the Liddies. When the Black Tips-who had owned the pleasure house-had retaliated a gang war had broken out and Jelani, Walsh and the other women had been forgotten in the shuffle. It had been all been very clever and well executed and, as far Kaz knew, Geels-who had taken over the Black Tips shortly after Kaz took over the Dregs-had never figured out what had really happened. That was what had told Kaz Jelani was the sort of person to look out for. And he had. The only thing he hadn't been able to figure out was if the rumors that she was Inferni were true. Annoyingly, if Inej knew she wasn't telling.

"What did you want to talk about?" Kaz asked.

"The Merchant Council voted to bring in a specialist after your stunt with the Church of Barter," Jelani said. "Did you hear that?"

"Of course," Kaz said. If he'd been meeting any general but Jelani he would have made a dig about how he had two spies for everyone of theirs even if that wasn't necessarily true, but he didn't need to throw his weight around with Jelani like he did with Geels and the others. He and Jelani both understood the boundaries and didn't see the need to push them; it was actually quite refreshing.

"I shouldn't need to remind you what happened the last time the Merchant Council brought a specialist in to clean up the Barrel?" Jelani said.

"You don't," Kaz said. "I remember quite well."

When Kaz had been fourteen, the Merchant Council had brought in a stadwatch captain from Belendt by the name of Stijn Van Berg. The man had organized the stadwatch into a force to be reckoned with and began a massive campaign against the Barrel. That winter had been the last time Kaz had served jail time. He'd broken his leg only a month before Van Berg had come to Ketterdam and had been earning his keep dealing cards in the Dregs's grungy, nameless gambling den-this was before the opening of the Crow Club. He'd been very bitter about it because Per Haskell and his lieutenants had realized Kaz could control a deck so well that he could decide who would win. There was a lot of money in that; more than enough to keep Kaz at a gambling table for the rest of his life. Kaz had been trying to figure out how to get himself back onto the path of leadership he'd been on before he'd been running too fast, stepped in the wrong place and fallen off a roof. When Van Berg's soldiers had stormed the gambling den, Kaz hadn't been able to run because of his leg and he'd been arrested.

He'd spent two weeks in Hellgate. Then Van Berg had thankfully gotten delusions of grandeur and tried to clean the merchers up too. The Merchant Council hadn't liked that and within weeks Van Berg had hung alongside the very criminals he'd worked to apprehend. In all the chaos, Kaz and a number of Hellgate's other inmates had managed to escape and flee back to the safety of the Barrel. They'd been the lucky ones; at least half the people arrested a long with Kaz had died in Hellgate, no one caring that the man who had arrested them had been declared a traitor to Kerch.

"Then you know why this is a problem," Jelani said. "We don't want to repeat of the Van Berg fiasco."

"Your stupidity is going to get us all arrested," Walsh snarled from her position, seated on a crate just behind Jelani. Her dark red hair was shaved close to her head and so many tattoos decorated her arms it was hard to pick out her Damnation tattoo. "You've never been one for public protest; why didn't you just rob Van Dijk blind and leave it at that?"

"So you wouldn't retaliate if someone tortured one of your youngest members to death and hung them up on a wall to taunt you?" Kaz asked, his voice kept level with years of practice.

"Of course we would," Jelani said, the implied "_but we don't think you would"_ hung in the air unspoken. It was an unfriendly reminder that while he got on with Jelani and Walsh better than he did most of the generals and lieutenants in Ketterdam, they still viewed him as a monster lurking in the dark. That reminder would have filled him with vindictive pride as a teenager, but now it just made him tired. That was worrying because he needed people to fear him; if they didn't he'd be dead.

"Then you'll just have to trust that I know what I'm doing," Kaz said. He wasn't going to admit that he was surprised by this turn of events. He'd known the Merchant Council would retaliate, but he figured they'd do that by unleashing Baas. Kaz was fairly sure that given enough time and reveals, Baas could be convinced Van Dijk was a bad man and abandon his cause. Apparently, Van Dijk was fairly sure of that too or he wouldn't be bringing someone else in.

"That's rather hard to do when what you're doing seems to be screwing us all over," Walsh snapped.

"Not saying we don't like what you did to the Church of Barter," Jelani said. "We do. It's making the merchers truly look at their lives for the first time; we're just not convinced you have a plan to deal with what comes after. This does none of us any good if we all end up hanging."

"I have a plan," Kaz said. "I always have a plan." He didn't have a plan, but he would soon; imminent danger was good for coming up with ideas. He'd held onto his position in Ketterdam this long; Kees Van Dijk, a delusional preacher and this unknown stadwatch specialist would not be the end of him.

"Well, that's good to hear," Walsh said in a tone of voice that suggested she didn't really believe him. That was fine. Kaz was used to this sort of thing.

"Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" he asked.

"No," Jelani said. "Brielle and I mostly just wanted to make sure you hadn't taken leave of your senses, though, honestly, I'm not sure we'd be able to tell if you had."

Kaz gave her his best and cruelest Dirtyhands grin. "Well, I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about," he tipped his hat to them, "good day," and left.

He had to figure out what to do about this specialist.


End file.
